


By the River

by Ulan



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Friendship/Love, M/M, Pining, Second Age, gratuitous bath scene, is it voyeurism if the other person knows someone is watching?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2020-01-01 03:21:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18327590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ulan/pseuds/Ulan
Summary: Two friends share a moment in the river.





	By the River

Erestor once said that he had the most affinity with Ulmo. 

At the time, Glorfindel thought he meant it was because of the Vala’s wisdom, his sympathy for the Children despite his mysterious and elusive ways. It even all fit Erestor perfectly, for he was also all of these things for as long as Glorfindel had known him.

Watching him in the water, however, Glorfindel wondered if Erestor just meant this. 

They were at a secluded area of the river, a little spot tucked up north where the waters were deeper and more quiet than what they were used to back in Imladris. The land curved naturally so the water flowed just high enough from a rocky ledge, creating the perfect cascade down and into a green-blue pool. 

Erestor was the one who dragged Glorfindel to this place. He insisted that Glorfindel's face showed his lack of sleep, betraying the shadow weighing too heavily on shoulders Elves these days only too easily leaned against. Ever did Erestor frown upon such dependent behaviour, but then, too many of their kind in this age were born in peacetime, spoiled by the idyll of life in Lindon beside the Sea. Glorfindel did not begrudge them their innocence, nor did he return to Middle-Earth without expecting such things. That was not to say, however, that he did not appreciate Erestor's affront in his behalf; sometimes, a smile even threatened to spread on his lips whenever Erestor marched toward any council member that approached Glorfindel for reassurance after a bad report. He was a good ally, a very good friend, and if Glorfindel thought the look of annoyance on his face was oddly becoming on him, well...

Well. 

That was the thing, was it not? Erestor lured Glorfindel to the river with promises of all that he might see there. Indeed the place was lovely—as green and as peaceful as Erestor said it would be—but Glorfindel's eyes were drawn only to a single spot, there underneath the cascade.

Erestor stood under the waterfall, face tilted up in welcome to its steady torrent. It was quite a sight to behold. Back at home Erestor was so formal and put together, but here he seemed to have shed his official's facade as much as he had shed his clothes. His face was relaxed as water spattered steadily upon him, and from where Glorfindel sat upon the banks he could see white skin and sharp shoulder bones peeking out from that dark curtain of hair. 

When exactly this began he could no longer even say, but nowadays, Glorfindel would just often find himself thinking how Erestor painted a beautiful picture. Especially now, as water flowed down the firm planes of his friend's arms and back, drawing sharp shapes in the afternoon sun—Glorfindel sighed, soft and wistful. 

Erestor's back curved just above the surface of the water, and he stood there still and quiet that Glorfindel would not be surprised if he was deep in meditation. It was just the kind of thing Erestor would do. His mind was filled with such fascinating wonders, so knowledgeable was he, having seen and lived through so many things. But for all that his mind must be filled to bursting, never did he seem to Glorfindel as though he was addled by its weight, each thing within it perhaps clear and organized and better maintained than even the libraries of the High King. To be in his presence was to be in that space, as cool and soothing as free days in the summer shade. Nothing to Glorfindel felt more peaceful. 

And so he thought, for all the wonder that Erestor was, standing there naked and glorious under the waterfalls, the desire that stirred in Glorfindel was beyond just taking that beauty and making it his. He wanted Erestor for his friendship, yearned for the soothing balm of his presence. Perhaps, yes, he yearned for more despite that the friendship was yet new. But even clothed Glorfindel would have him, even if to just rest his head upon Erestor's lap and spend days just listening to him, even if all he did was to recite from the blandest of tomes. Maybe he needed not even speak at all, and they could just listen to the birds that fleeted all around them and wile away the day just like that.

Ah, but how he played with Glorfindel, despite all of Glorfindel's attempts to maintain his good intentions. He could not help but watch, still and helpless to his own reactions, as Erestor turned and glided into the water, diving deep so he hardly disturbed the surface. Glorfindel could make out the other's shape as it made its way towards him, emerging just a few breaths after with head tilted back and hair falling away from his face into a smooth waterfall down his back. Glorfindel watched, transfixed, as Erestor began to step out of the river, water dripping down his chest, his chiseled abs and slim but strong thighs, before pooling around his perfect bare feet. 

Erestor picked up the robe he left on a nearby boulder. The thin cloth wrapped around him and stuck in places on to his wet skin, and Glorfindel was caught by the urge to know what it was like to touch him as those robes did. Erestor squeezed the water out of his hair, his silhouette revealed through his robes by the sunlight behind him, and somehow that was even worse than when he was fully naked. Glorfindel had to look away. 

"Done so soon?" asked the infuriating creature before Glorfindel, as though he would not allow him his escape. With a final squeeze to his hair, he made his way to sit beside Glorfindel.

Glorfindel had to swallow the lump in his throat so he could answer. "The weather is good," he managed to say. "I have had a taste of the water and now desire the breeze and warm sunlight. Worry not, my friend, for my heart is full and my body well rested." 

Erestor smiled at this, light and demure that it showed more in his eyes than anywhere else. But Glorfindel was used to this, at least well enough to know that smiles from this Elf were rare and precious like gold. That smile slithered to his chest, made it swell, and it settled there and warmed him like embers red upon the hearth. 

"That is indeed what I wish," said Erestor. "You overwork yourself, worrying so much for so many." 

"Well, my duty is to the many," Glorfindel pointed out. "Of this I do not think anyone has any doubt." 

"Aye, but there is a case to be had on what exactly is the scope of said duty. What do people expect you to do? Face Sauron on your own?" The counsellor scowled at this. "They put needless pressure upon you and too little on themselves. I do not like it." 

"I know you do not." Glorfindel chuckled, thinking back on recent memory. "And after that last meeting, I do not think anyone is left that does not know." 

Their eyes strayed to the same place, to where they left their horses that carried hardly anything besides themselves. They left without notice, after all, Erestor storming out of council just the day prior, and hardly anyone would dare disturb him after such an episode.

Looking at him now, it seemed the chief counsellor still felt no remorse over this. "They will survive without us for a while," he said. He fixed Glorfindel again with a levelled gaze. "And you? You indulge them too much, and offer so much to us all. What do you have left for yourself?" 

Still undeterred, Glorfindel smiled at him. "I have this," he said. "This moment here, a pocket of peace. I get this from time to time, if perhaps sometimes I need you to remind me of it."

Erestor was unimpressed. "I would not even call it just sometimes," he said, and the look he returned this time was teasing. "Last time, I had the urge to feed you myself—and nearly did. You are awful in between missions. Perhaps next time I shall check to see if you even sleep."

Glorfindel's cheeks felt flushed even as he laughed. "Then, I have you—to remind me, that is."

Erestor laughed, soft and light, and he shook his head. "So you do. Perhaps I am just as bad, on second thought, for as you indulge others, I indulge you." 

It truly was contagious, his presence, his manner. With the steady sound of gushing water, interspersed by leaves rustling in the wind, Glorfindel's spirit was lifted and his heart was warmed. "I do thank you for it," he told Erestor. 

Their laughter joined together this time. Erestor leaned back so he rested upon his hands, which sat so closely beside Glorfindel's that they would touch, should one of them extend their fingers just so. "If that is all that I am getting, then, as you should. It is only polite." 

Glorfindel found himself laughing again. Erestor was a friend to him, and few did he know who were more loyal and true. Perhaps Erestor came to him because he was a contemporary, with so many of the old ones choosing to sail after the great war. Whatever the reason was, Glorfindel could only feel grateful, for he imagined how difficult life in Middle-Earth would be without someone to trust as he did Erestor. 

If, at times, he also thought that Erestor was lovely, and if, sometimes but definitely more often than a friend should, he wondered what it would be like... If his eyes strayed to Erestor's lips, soft-looking and with just a hint of a smile, and if his fingers dug into the earth now to allay that itch that made them want to reach out and curl against Erestor's long, elegant ones, well—

Well.

**Author's Note:**

> I visited a lake a couple of days ago and was struck by the image of Erestor as an elegant swimmer. Alas, there are more rivers than workable lakes in Middle-Earth. All the same, be it rivers or lakes, it is still more treats for Glorfindel... or is it really? Naked Erestor? In pre-slash/relationship? Oh, my poor boy.


End file.
